Nova Scotia's information site back up after privacy concerns shut it down

Thursday September 06, 2018

Written by The Canadian Press

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia's Freedom of Information website has been partially restored, more than 150 days after it was taken down over privacy concerns.

The website allows individuals to download Freedom of Information requests that contain publicly available data, but does not host any personal details.

New requests for government information normally withheld from the public are no longer being accepted through the website and will need to be filed in writing.

The website was taken down in April after a worker at the Nova Scotia archives revealed that social insurance numbers, birth dates and personal addresses of those making requests had been exposed to the general public.

At the time, the province said more than 7,000 documents were inappropriately downloaded as a result of the breach, while 369 of the documents contained "highly sensitive" personal information.

Of those, 273 came from the Department of Community Services, which deals with income assistance, employment support and child and youth services.

Halifax police arrested a 19-year-old man on April 11 after searching his home, but three weeks later issued a news release saying they would not charge the teen because they did not intend to commit a criminal offence.